Method and apparatus for conveying messages and simple patterns in communications network

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating simple patterns on a terminal and conveying them in a communications network. In the method, an element of a pattern ( 201, 301 ) comprising elements is specified and it is assigned a code by which it is identified. The codes of the elements in a pattern are used in compiling a set of codes ( 303   a   , 303   b   , 303   c ) which describes identified elements of the pattern. The set of codes ( 303   a   , 303   b   , 303   c ) is sent into a communications network in addition to the message. The receiving device receives, in addition to the message, the set of codes ( 303   a   , 303   b   , 303   c ) containing the codes of the elements in the pattern ( 201, 301 ), which set of codes is analyzed ( 406 ) and identified. Element codes included in the set of codes ( 303   a   , 303   b   , 303   c ) are used to identify elements used to generate a pattern ( 201, 301 ).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is the U.S. National Stage of International ApplicationNumber PCT/FI03/00326 filed Apr. 25, 2003 and published in the Englishlanguage Nov. 6, 2003 under International Application Number WO03/091902 and claiming priority from Finnish Application Number 20020801filed Apr. 26, 2002.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating simplepatterns on a terminal and conveying them in a communications network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mobile network terminals are widely used to communicate not only throughspeech, as is typical, but also through text messages (SMS, ShortMessage Service), audio messages and multimedia messages (MMS,Multimedia Messaging Service). Text messages can be used to send amessage consisting of characters e.g. between devices that use the GSM(Global System for Mobile communications) network to establish aconnection and convey messages. A message can be delivered to areceiving terminal even if the receiving terminal were not active orwithin a coverage area at the moment of sending. No immediate responseis required of the recipient unlike in the case of a voice call, forexample.

Messages can also be exchanged between a mobile network terminal and adevice in a fixed internet or local area network. In that case there hasto be a gateway between them, e.g. a web page. A message can bedelivered to a network terminal via the gateway if the terminal islocated in a network cell within the coverage area of the gateway or ifthe gateway functions as a public international gateway for all devicesthat are capable of roaming. Messages can also be exchanged betweendigital telephone apparatuses or between them and fixed terminals viagateways. Sending and receiving devices may include e.g. mobile phones,digital phones, smart phones, portable computers, desktop computers andinternet and LAN terminals.

So messages can be sent regardless of the recipient, and received in amanner resembling the operation of an answering machine, i.e. messagescan be saved for later reading or processing, but in addition to that,messages can also be used for having a conversation, or a chat as it isoften called. A chat connection requires active participation, becauseconversing is done by typing a comment to a message and sending it to acertain storage place of messages. A chat may take place at a certainlocation, such as a web site, where the messages are stored and to whichthe users can connect by means of their terminals via a network.Typically, several people can take part in a chat simultaneously. Mostchat groups have a certain topic. Conversations may be continuous orthey may be scheduled to last for a certain period of time.

Size of messages sent and received by mobile terminals is very limited.Typically it is possible to transfer, in addition to text messages, alsopicture, data and multimedia messages, and in chat sessions text can becomplemented with sound, pictures and video. In that case, however, itis required that the users have hardware and software needed to display,transmit and receive such files. Since the senders and receivers ofmessages as well as participants in a chat may be using apparatuseswhich are quite different, it is, for compatibility reasons, safest touse simple character-based messages. Moreover, large files such aspictures slow down network traffic and place a burden on the memorycapacity of the receiving terminal. Heaviness and slowness of operationare characteristics that are undesirable in interactive conversationbecause the real-time feel and interactivity of chatting suffer ifparticipants have to wait for prolonged times before messages aredisplayed on their terminals. For communication to be as quick aspossible, a great number of widely used acronyms have been adopted to beused in chats so that messages can be produced in less time. Table 1below lists a few examples of such acronyms on the left column withtheir meanings on the right column. TABLE 1 AFK Away From Keyboard BBSBe Back Soon CU See You F2F Face to Face IAC In Any Case IC I SeeS{circumflex over ( )} S'up? - What's up? SETE Smiling Ear to Ear

Short, quick messages are often enlivened with so-called emoticons whichare character-based symbols used to describe emotions. Some mobile phonemodels, for example, have special menus where the user can choose asuitable emoticon for a piece of text in his/her message. In addition toSMS messages, emoticons are also widely used in email messages,newsgroup and chat messages, and generally in all relatively shorttext-based messages which do not substantially consume memory when savedand which do not burden the network when transferred. Typicallyemoticons are horizontally oriented face patterns used to describeemotions or a feeling associated with a text, for example. Table 2 belowlists a few examples of emoticons, or smileys as they are sometimescalled, on the left column and their meanings on the right column. TABLE2 :-) Smiling :<}) smiling, moustached :-|| Angry :-/ Baffled 0:-)Angelic C|:-= Charlie Chaplin :-)8 smiling, wearing a bow tie (:v) aduck =:O scared (hair standing on end) :-} Embarrassed

Emoticons are used in Japan with even more enthusiasm than in Westerncountries. The Japanese have come up with emoticons of their own, whichare better suited to their culture. Since the Japanese keyboard includesalso disyllabic characters, the users can choose between monosyllabicand disyllabic versions of certain characters and this way they can havemore nuances with their emoticons, too. Table 3 below lists a fewexamples of Japanese emoticons on the left column and their descriptionson the right column. TABLE 3 {circumflex over ( )}_{circumflex over ( )}a smile {circumflex over ( )}o{circumflex over ( )};> excuse me{circumflex over ( )}{circumflex over ( )}; cold sweat {circumflex over( )}o{circumflex over ( )} Happy *{circumflex over ( )}o{circumflex over( )}* Excited ({circumflex over ( )}_{circumflex over ( )})/ Banzai

There are numerous different emoticons. Furthermore, as was describedabove, there are cultural differences between emoticons. Emoticons arepopular because they are available to all, they can be easily modified,and they do not require special hardware or software, nor do theysignificantly consume capacity when saved or transferred. However, theexpressive power of emoticons is very limited and while a great numberof different emoticons can be compiled from the many character symbols,they remain very general in nature. Another disadvantage of emoticons istheir typical presentation: as the emoticons are viewed horizontally sothat the left border of normal text or display corresponds to the topborder when looking at an emoticon, and the right-hand border of thedisplay corresponds to the bottom border of an emoticon, the user, ateach emoticon, has to either tilt his/her head or rotate the display ofhis/her device by 90 degrees.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a more advanced pattern whichis simple, uses little memory, and is easily transferred betweenterminals even with limited capacity.

The objects of the invention are achieved by generating a set of codesfor a pattern so that the pattern can be regenerated using the set ofcodes. Furthermore, the objects are achieved so that a simple set ofcodes generated for a pattern is saved in memory when the pattern isbeing processed, and said set of codes is conveyed via a communicationsnetwork.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pattern and aset of codes are generated so that the pattern can be regenerated usingthe set of codes. The size of a code set according to a preferredembodiment of the invention is measured in dozens of bytes, while thesize of a picture file is typically thousands of bytes. As the size of acode set is small, it can be saved without considerably consuming thelimited storage capacity of a device processing a pattern. A code setgenerated according to a preferred embodiment of the invention can betransferred along with the message or separately to the receivingapparatus. Since the code set transferred is small in size, no excessiveloading will be imposed on transmission paths, nor will there occur anycongestion of connections.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pattern isgenerated using a menu. A menu contains elements of a pattern, which maybe e.g. facial features, such as different face shapes, hair types, eyesand mouths. Among these menu elements are chosen certain elementsaccording to a set of codes to form a given pattern. The elements aresaved only once in the menu, and each of them is referred to by a uniquecode based e.g. on their position in the menu system. On the basis ofthe references, i.e. codes, a set of codes is compiled which containsthe codes of the elements of a given pattern. The set of codes can besaved and transferred to another device. The receiving device is able toregenerate the original pattern on the basis of the set of codestransferred if the device for example contains a similar menu or hasaccess to the data of a similar menu.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a patterncan be generated from a picture taken with a digital camera, forexample. An image recognition algorithm is used to select features, orelements, in the picture. The nearest equivalent elements are selectedfor the features from a menu. The menu elements selected are used tocompile a set of codes for the features of the picture. An imagerecognition algorithm can be especially designed to recognize certainfacial features. Using a pattern according to a preferred embodiment ofthe invention generated by means of a set of codes instead of anoriginal photograph image, the size of the picture remains small,regeneration of the pattern will not significantly consume the device'scapacity, and loading of the pattern will be fast. Therefore, such asimplified pattern is well suited to accomplish or complement areal-time chat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to theaccompanying figures where

FIG. 1 shows a menu according to a preferred embodiment of the inventionfor generating a pattern,

FIG. 2 shows a message according to a preferred embodiment of theinvention on a display,

FIGS. 3 a-3 c show patterns according to a preferred embodiment of theinvention,

FIG. 4 a illustrates the generation of a pattern according to apreferred embodiment of the invention at a sending terminal, and

FIG. 4 b illustrates the generation of a pattern according to apreferred embodiment of the invention at a receiving terminal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a menu according to a preferred embodiment of theinvention, which menu for the sake of example contains a few featuresfor generating a pattern according to the preferred embodiment of theinvention. According to this preferred embodiment of the invention, themenu contains elements of a pattern so that a desired pattern can becreated by combining different elements. A pattern element is typicallya discernible part of a pattern, such as a facial feature or facialshape, for instance. Each pattern element in the menu is associated witha certain code so that an element can be uniquely referred to by usingthe code associated with it.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 there are four rows numberedconsecutively from 1 to 4, and four columns indicated by letters A, B,C, D. The pattern elements in the first row describe different facialshapes. Row 1, column A contains a round face 101 a. Row 1, column Bcontains a broad face 101 b. Row 1, column C contains a narrow, longishface 101 c.

The elements in menu row 2 consist of different mouths. Row 2, column Acontains a smiling mouth 102 a where the corners of the mouth point up.Row 2, column B contains a grave, straight mouth 102 b. Row 2, column Ccontains a sad mouth 102 c where the corners of the mouth point down.Row 2, column D contains an open mouth 102 d.

The elements in menu row 3 consist of different eyes. Row 3, column Acontains a round, open eye 103 a. Row 3, column B contains an oval, openeye 103 b. Row 3, column C contains a narrow, straight or closed eye 103c. Row 3, column D contains glasses 103 d.

Menu row 4 can be used to choose the hair for the pattern to begenerated. Row 4, column A contains long, straight hair with a fringe104 a. Row 4, column B contains short, crew-cut hair 104 b. Row 4,column C contains curly hair 104 c.

In this embodiment, menu elements can be uniquely referred to using arow number/column letter combination. A given element may also bereferred to by means of certain keywords so that the keyword ‘mouth’refers to menu row 2, and the keyword ‘smile’ specifies column A. Themenu can be saved in the memory of a device in tabular or list form, forexample.

The menu described in the embodiment of FIG. 1 is advantageously locatedon the terminal. When generating a pattern, one item can be selected ineach row to produce a face pattern consisting of the selected features.According to a preferred embodiment, elements need not be selected fromevery row, but a pattern can be generated using e.g. just the glasses103 d in row 3, column D and the crew cut 104 b in row 4, column B.According to another preferred embodiment, the user can choose aplurality of features in one row. For example, he/she could select anopen, round eye 103 a in row 3, column A for the right eye, and a closedeye 103 c in row 3, column C for the left eye.

A menu according to a preferred embodiment of the invention containsmany different elements to be combined, thereby making it possible todescribe, as well and as individually as possible, a given feeling oremotion associated with a message or to profile oneself. In addition tothat which is depicted in FIG. 1, a menu according to a preferredembodiment of the invention further contains different ears, moustaches,hats, glasses, mouth expressions, noses, collars, ties, jewelry and soon. According to another preferred embodiment, the user may define newelements in the menu or edit the features already included in the menu.For example, a user could define a piece of jewelry, tattoo or apiercing to profile him/herself. Typically the patterns according to theinvention are face patterns but other simple patterns, such as tattoopatterns or simplified posture patterns, can also be produced. A posturecan be described e.g. using a stick figure so that the menu containsdifferent positions of the limbs and body.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a menu containingelements used for generating patterns is located on a network server,for example. According to this embodiment, the user may download a menuor parts of it from the network server to his/her terminal through a WAP(Wireless Application Protocol) link, for example. The WAP includescommunication protocols to standardize wireless internet connections.The network may also have additional features or completely new menuentities which the users may download. According to a preferredembodiment, additional properties and features can be purchased from aservice provider. In one preferred embodiment, elements and their codesor whole menus can also be exchanged between terminals.

FIG. 2 shows a display 200 divided into an image part 201 and text part202. The view could be e.g. from a chat connection with multiplesimultaneous participants. According to a preferred embodiment of theinvention, users may send to the chat server, in addition to text-basedmessages, pictures to profile themselves. A user may define a pattern,using his/her device to indicate desired features, here e.g. a narrowface, round eyes, bristly hair, and a smile. At the user's terminal eachpattern element is associated with a code consisting of charactersymbols, for instance. These codes are fetched for each element selectedby the user, compiled into a set of codes defining the pattern. Withthis set of codes a pattern can be generated on a display, including thepattern elements, properties and features defined by the user. The usersends this code set e.g. to the chat site, where the pattern can beregenerated in the image part 201 of the display 200. The code setcompiled according to the elements chosen by the user can be linked to amessage and sent together with it. The message may be a text (SMS)message, audio message or a multimedia (MMS) message. The code set canbe visible to the recipient or it can be replaced by a control characteror similar indication of a code set.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a chat participantmay send to the chat site the following message where the code set isembedded in the message, separated by curly brackets from the rest ofthe text.

I {I:1A,2D,3D,4C} had {I2:2B} a tense discussion {S:5_4} with mycolleague. I wasn't pleased with his work {I2,3:2C,3C+3C}.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 a, the beginning of a message and afirst code set 303 a in curly brackets are displayed in the message part302 of the display, and an image (I) generated according to the code setis displayed in the image part of the display. The elements defined inthe code set are a round face 1A, open mouth 2D, glasses 3D, and curlyhair 4C. The continuation to the message is shown in the message part302 of FIG. 3 b where there is the text and code set 303 a shown in FIG.3 a and the text following it and a code set 303 b associated with thelatter. I2 at the beginning of the code set 303 b means that element 2shall be changed in the pattern defined earlier. After that it isspecified that the earlier element 2 is now replaced by element 2B,which in the menu shown in FIG. 1 is a straight mouth. The pattern thusgenerated is displayed in the image part 301 of FIG. 3 b. The next codeset {S:5_4} in the message above refers to a memory location 5_4 forsounds (S), from which memory location a sound is fetched and generatedat this point of the message by means of a sound reproduction componentin the device.

In the previous embodiment, the mouth in the pattern may be alternatelyopen and closed, thereby creating an illusion that the pattern istalking to the recipient. Patterns can be updated at a pace even thisquick in accordance with the message, because simple patterns aregenerated immediately on the display and, moreover, the code set onlyrequires a space of a few characters. The last code set 303 c in theabove message, shown in FIG. 3 c, changes both the mouth and the eyes,the elements in row 2 and 3 respectively. This change is represented bythe symbol I2,3 at the beginning of the code set. Selection 2C is a sadmouth, and the eyes 3C are straight lines. The pattern thus generated isdisplayed in the image part 301 of FIG. 3 c.

In the above description, an image (I) and a sound (S) were defined bymeans of codes. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention,various sound patterns or an animated image, for example, can be definedin a similar manner to accompany a message. A message may be accompaniedby sounds generated from real sound samples, mechanical sounds orsimilar sounds stored in memory, which sounds can be referred to andwhich can be edited using certain codes. The sound patterns used arestored in the memory of the device. Sound patterns are reproduced bymeans of sound reproduction components in the device. An animated imagemay be produced e.g. such that a certain movement is selected for acertain element of a pattern from a menu, and reference is made to themovement using a certain code. For example, eyes can be made to blink, astick figure to jump, or hands to clap. The movement selected from themenu may be e.g. such that a whole pattern or a given element is flashedon and off, moved along a certain track back and forth or in circles,moved along the edges of the picture area of the display or randomlywithin the picture area.

The previous examples describe how elements in a menu according to apreferred embodiment of the invention can be uniquely referred to.However, reference can be made to menu features using other designatorsor in some other way, e.g. by numbering or otherwise identifying theelements unambiguously, whereby their position in the menu, table orsimilar structure is not necessarily fixed. For example, a menu may havecertain headers such as the mouth, eyes, nose and so on, for which thereare subheaders, i.e. elements that are identified and that can bereferred to using descriptive words, ordinal numbers or in some otherapplicable manner. In addition, parameters can be used to set a volumelevel for a selected sound or a speed for a movement. According to asimple embodiment, these quantities are increased when a plus signfollows the sound or movement code, and decreased when a minus signfollows the sound or movement code.

A set of codes according to a preferred embodiment of the invention forgenerating a given pattern is conveyed along with a message. It is alsopossible to send just the set of codes to a recipient. Typically, arecipient will not see the code sets shown above in curly brackets, butthe code sets can be hidden in the message, for example. The code setsmay also be located somewhere else, e.g. they may follow the messageseparately, whereby the message contains e.g. a link, control button orsome other pointer on the basis of which the code set is retrieved at acertain point in the message.

A receiving device according to a preferred embodiment has to be capableof generating a pattern on the basis of a set of codes sent to it.Typically, the receiving device has a menu, for example, which containsthe elements in the pattern. The original pattern can be regeneratedusing the data in that menu and the set of codes. Alternatively, thedata required can be fetched from a menu on a network server, forexample. This requires a network connection with the site where the menuor the corresponding data are located.

When the receiving device gets the set of codes within a message or asseparate data, the pattern can be generated on the basis of the set ofcodes immediately after the set of codes is received. If the code set isembedded in the message, the pattern is generated advantageously whenthe user activates the message part in question, i.e. reads the textmessage, for instance, and the cursor is at the code set or at thecharacter or button indicating the code set. According to a preferredembodiment, the pattern is generated when the control characterindicating the code set is activated by e.g. clicking on it or uponaccepting the activation. According to another preferred embodiment, thecursor progresses in the text according to an estimated reading rate ofthe user, and when the cursor comes to a set of codes, the appropriatepattern is generated.

According to an embodiment, the code-based generation of patterns on thedisplay can be disabled in software. In addition, certain default valuescan be defined for unidentified elements. If, for example, a user sendsa face pattern where the eyes have been edited by him/her, the receivingdevice is not able to generate the eyes unless the sender gives anaccurate description and code of the eye elements edited by him/her. Thedefault may be that an unidentified element is not rendered at all, orif e.g. an element is recognized as eyes, based on a row number, but thecolumn number refers to an empty location, a certain eye element, suchas that in the first column of the menu, can be used in the patterngenerated.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pattern isgenerated e.g. by means of a digital camera, as depicted in FIG. 4 a. Animage produced by the camera 401 is sent to an image-processingcomponent 402 where an image recognition algorithm is applied in orderto find pattern elements 403 such as outlines, features, edges andshadows. These are matched against elements in a menu according to apreferred embodiment of the invention. For each element, such as e.g.shape of head, eyes, nose and mouth, found in image processing 402, thecode of the menu element that best matches the element found is fetchedfrom the menu 404. The difference between an element found in the imageproduced by the camera and a menu element can be computed or modeled insome other known way so as to find the best matching elements, featuresand shapes. A pattern and a set of codes for it are thus generated, saidpattern being a reduced version of the image produced by the camera but,however, including features and elements of the original. The set ofcodes 405 is compiled based on element codes selected from the menu 404.The menu shown in FIG. 4 a can also be used to generate a patternwithout a camera, manually, so that features are selected from the menu404 and a set of codes 405 is compiled from those features. When the setof codes 405 has been compiled, it can be transferred to anotherterminal where the pattern can be regenerated on the basis of the set ofcodes. It should be evident that a pattern can also be generated using acombination of the above described techniques, e.g. using menu elementsto edit a picture originally produced by a camera.

FIG. 4 b shows a device which receives a code set. The code set 406 isanalyzed, and a technique, such as a menu, by means of which the patternis to be generated, is selected on the basis of the code set used.Patterns may use different code sets and the receiving device has toidentify the code set used to be able to generate a pattern according toit. A code set compiled from an image taken with a camera may consist ofpixels of certain features, for example. Elements that make up thepattern are fetched from the menu 404 on the basis of individual codesin the code set identified in conjunction with image generation 407. Thepattern generated on the basis of the elements defined by the codes inthe code set is shown on a display 409.

Typically, so-called edges are searched for in an image produced by acamera. Facial features such as eyes, nose and mouth have very sharpedges. The contrast of the original image is a significant factor asregards the recognizability of features and, generally, patternelements. Individual points, instead of lines describing features,produce the sharpest regenerated pattern. That, however, requires a lotof processing power in the equipment used. Typically, a reduced imageregenerated on the basis of a code set is not recognizable any more. Inchat groups, for example, recognizability is not even wanted, but theimage is meant just to emphasize certain selected features to cause acertain imagery.

Patterns can be edited as desired, e.g. by means of image editingsoftware. A pattern or a given element in it can e.g. be twisted orstretched in a certain direction. According to an embodiment of theinvention, a pattern can be edited using menu elements, by changing oradding menu elements in/to the pattern. A code set compiled can be savedfor later use. Edited features can also be saved in the menu.

An image produced by a camera can be advantageously kept as a templatewhich can be used to produce edited versions, emphasizing certainelements. One such version could be used e.g. as a user profile for achat group, and it could be stored by a service provider, in a network,on a server or somewhere else from which place the user can fetch itwhen necessary. Special image banks can be established in a network,where images can be saved and retrieved for later use.

One factor influencing the code set and the simplified pattern generatedon the basis thereof is the algorithm used in image recognition. If theequipment has enough processing power and it is possible to performimage recognition in real time, a simplified, real-time image from acamera can be sent to a receiving device. This requires that the sendingdevice itself has or is connected to a camera, for instance to a videocamera, to generate an image in real time. This requires that the camerahas certain rate of shooting, i.e. the camera can produce certain numberof images per second. Certain elements are searched for in the imagee.g. at certain intervals, and elements found are used to compile a codeset to be transferred to the receiving device. Especially in real-timeapplications, the data also has to be transferred at a fast rate, andthe receiving device has to be able to generate the pattern based on thecode set immediately. In real-time applications the receiving deviceadavantageously uses some synchronizing mechanism and buffering to keepthe datastream steady.

1. A method for conveying a message including a pattern, comprising thesteps of: specifying an element (403) of a pattern (201, 301) comprisingelements, assigning a code for the element (403) specified to identifythe element (403), compiling a set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c)containing codes of pattern elements (403), and conveying the set ofcodes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) to a communications network in addition tothe message, wherein image and sound elements are identified by means ofcodes.
 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the set of codes (303a, 303 b, 303 c) of a pattern comprising elements (403) is specified asa response to commands given manually by the user.
 3. A method accordingto claim 2, further comprising the step of, in response to a commanddirected to an element in a menu (404) of a device and given manually bythe user, reading the code of the element in question from a tablestored in memory, which table maps elements of the menu (404) to therespective codes.
 4. A method according to claim 1, further comprisingthe steps of producing a digital image by a camera (401), specifying anelement (403) in the digital image by matching a feature in the imagedetected by an image recognition algorithm (402) against elements in amenu (404) containing elements, and fetching a code of the elementspecified from a table which maps elements to respective codes.
 5. Amethod according to claim 4, comprising the steps of matching a featurein an image detected by an image recognition algorithm (402) againstcertain mutually alternative elements in the menu (404) containingelements, and from alternative elements in the menu (404) selecting anelement which best matches the feature detected in the image produced bythe camera (401).
 6. A method according to claim 3, wherein the menu(404) containing elements is fetched from a communications network.
 7. Amethod according to claim 1, wherein the set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303c) compiled on the basis of element (403) codes is stored on the device.8. A method for receiving a message including a pattern, comprising thesteps of: receiving in addition to the message, a set of codes (303 a,303 b, 303 c) containing codes of pattern (201, 301) elements (403),analyzing the set of codes received (406), identifying a certain elementby means of an element (403) code included in the set of codes (303 a,303 b, 303 c), and generating a pattern (201, 301) on the basis ofidentified elements, wherein image and sound elements are identified bymeans of codes.
 9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the set ofcodes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) and an element (403) associated with acertain code are identified by means of a menu (404) containingelements.
 10. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the stepof receiving in addition to the message and the set of codes (303 a, 303b, 303 c), also a menu (404) containing elements.
 11. A method accordingto claim 8, wherein the set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) is receivedon a communications network terminal, where the set of codes is analyzed(406), elements are identified on the basis of codes in a menu (404)that belong to the set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c), and a pattern(407, 409) is generated using the identified elements.
 12. A methodaccording to claim 8, wherein the set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) isreceived on a communications network server, where the set of codes (303a, 303 b, 303 c) is used to generate a pattern (201, 301) which can beobserved on a terminal connected to the server.
 13. A method accordingto claim 8, wherein the received set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) isreferred to in a received message, and a pattern is generated on thebasis of the set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) at a point in themessage which refers to the set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c).
 14. Adevice for conveying a message including a pattern, the devicecomprising: means for specifying elements of a pattern (201, 301)comprising elements (403); means for assigning a code to each pattern(201, 301) element (403) specified; means for compiling (405) a set ofcodes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) containing the codes of the pattern elements(403); and means for conveying the set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) toa communications network in addition to the message, wherein the patternincludes image and sound elements.
 15. A device according to claim 14,further comprising means for specifying pattern (201, 301) elementsmanually.
 16. A device according to claim 14, further comprising meansfor generating an image with a camera (401).
 17. A device according toclaim 16, further comprising means for specifying pattern elements (403)by means of an image recognition algorithm (402).
 18. A device accordingto claim 17, further comprising means for matching specified elementsagainst mutually alternative elements in a menu (404) in the device inorder to find the menu (404) element that best matches a specifiedelement.
 19. A device according to claim 14, further comprising meansfor receiving and saving a menu (404) containing elements of a pattern.20. A device according to claim 14, further comprising means for savingthe set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) compiled.
 21. A device accordingto claim 14, wherein the set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) includes acode which refers to a certain menu (404) element.
 22. A deviceaccording to claim 14, wherein the set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c)includes recognizable elements (403) of a pattern (201, 301) definedthrough codes.
 23. A device for receiving a message including a pattern,the device, comprising: means for receiving, in addition to the message,a set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) containing codes of pattern (201,301) elements; means for analyzing (406) and identifying the set ofcodes (303 a, 303 b, 330 c); means for identifying an element on thebasis of an element code included in the set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303c); and means for generating (407) a pattern by means of identifiedelements, wherein the pattern includes image and sound elements.
 24. Adevice according to claim 23, further comprising a menu (404) whichcontains elements of a pattern.
 25. A device according to claim 24,further comprising means for generating a pattern (201, 301) on thebasis of codes in a set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) and correspondingmenu (404) elements.
 26. A device according to claim 23, furthercomprising means for producing a pattern (201, 301) according to a setof codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c) as a response to the activation of amessage part which refers to the set of codes (303 a, 303 b, 303 c).